Weekend Retreat | Rooted in Her

Join the OYA team for a weekend away at The Dower House, a house set in two and half acres of its own gardens, orchards and woodlands. The retreat will include yoga, mindfulness, activities, vegan meals as well as leisure for exploring, resting and relaxing.

Theme

Rooted in Her is our personalised springtime prayer. This retreat is for Black women and women of colour.

The transitional season of Spring symbolises a time of rebirth, growth and creativity. In order to embrace the expansive power of the season, we must be firm in ourselves.

In the presence of sisterhood, you will have the opportunity to move and to be still, to read, write and sing, to talk and to listen. This weekend is perfect for you if you want to nourish your spirit, spark new energy and make 2018 your year.

The exact retreat schedule is subject to change and will be released to registered guests closer to the date.

Talks and Treatments

There will be a number of activities and treatments on offer over the course of the weekend. We continually update the website with details.

NEW: Movement session Root to Sky with Ania! To start the retreat we will connect to the landscape of our bodies, exploring our capacity to rest and recover through movement, releasing our mobility from the floor towards the air. It will be both an individual and a collective dance to bring ourselves to our own bodies and to each other!

NEW ::: Movement session Awaken & Nourish taught by Ania & Charlie! This creative session speaks to the wild self and will include Hatha yoga, dance, a guided outdoor walk, altar building and collaborative work in pairs. It will leave all guests feeling grounded, fulfilled and nourished.

NEW ::: Hatha yoga taught by Charlie! Charlie cemented years of yoga self-practice with a 200-hour Ancient Hatha yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India. She brings her inclusive facilitation skills to this new form and is continuing with her lifelong learning and practice.

NEW ::: Orgasmic Art Workshop with Kim! During this workshop the life force will be ignited through breath and movement, poured into expressive drawing to reveal more of the inner self and step into freedom. It is not necessary to be good at art, all you need is a body! There will be no nudity during the session and all materials will be provided.

NEW ::: Radical Self-Care & Self-Love workshop with Kim! We’re often told we should be doing self-care and that it’s important for our mental health and well-being, but that’s not easy in a society that often glamourises hard work. This interactive workshop will offer an exploration of many related themes and concrete ways to put it all into practice.

Treatments will range from deep-tissue massage to Reiki. In the registration form you can indicate if you would like to book a treatment, so that our therapists can be in touch with you directly. Treatment costs are not included in the retreat package price.

Accommodations

Large bedrooms available as double and triple occupancy. Each room is simply decorated. There are shared bath- and shower rooms throughout. One set of linens and towels are provided.

Meals

The retreat is fully-catered with vegan and wheat-free delights. On Friday evening a light dinner will be served. On Saturday and Sunday mornings breakfast will be offered after the meditation session. On Saturday, a filling and warm lunch will be served and a light and healthy dinner. On Sunday, guests will receive a light lunch before departing for their journey home.

Travel Information

Arrivals are welcome from 4:00pm on Friday, 20 April. We ask that all guests arrive by 6:00pm so that we can begin the program punctually with a welcome at 6:30pm. On Sunday the 22nd all guests should depart by 3pm.

The nearest stations are Hitchin and Harlington, which are served regularly from Kings Cross in London. There is also plenty of parking available on site. The closest airport is London Luton.